C clamp with angularly adjustable pressure element



Nov. 27, 1951 G. J. JESSEN ET AL 2,576,904

C CLAMP WITH ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE PRESSURE ELEMENT Filed June 10, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

WILLIAM C. KENWORTHY By GEORGE J.JESSEN ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27,1951

O CLAMP WITH ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE PRESSURE ELEMENT George J. J essen, Philadelphia, Pa., and William C. Kenworthy, Atlantic City, N. J

Application June 10, 1947, Serial N0. 753,790

2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The present invention concerns a clamp and particularly concerns a clamp having a frame with a fixed jaw and movable jaw in which the movable jaw is adjustably mounted so that it can be selectively adjusted to condition the jaw for movement with respect to a selected area of the fixed jaw and also for movement along a selected path with respect to such area.

Installation of sheet material such as coldstorage lining aboard ship requires that the sheet material during fitting and trimming prior to final welding be clamped in place relative to its supporting members. For this purpose it is desirable to use a clamp having a C-shaped frame provided with a fixed jaw for engaging the supporting element and provided with a movable jaw for engaging the sheet material, positioning the sheet material, and clamping the sheet material against its support. In order that the movable jaw be able to position properly the sheet material under different conditions of size, shape and relative location of the sheet material and its support, and also in order that the movable jaw be able to apply clamping force in the correct direction relative to the fixed jaw under different conditions of assembly of the sheet material and support, it is necessary that the movable jaw be adjustably mounted in the C-shaped frame so that it can be selectively adjusted to condition the jaw for movement with respect to a selected area of the fixed jaw and also for movement along a selected path with respect to such area.

The present invention provides a clamp construction that satisfies these requirements by embodying a novel adjustable mounting for the moving jaw. The mounting includes a thrust block through which the movable jaw is screwed and the thrust block is provided with trunnions that are seated for rotary movement in any selected one of a plurality of recesses formed in the frame remote from the fixed jaw. The movable jaw moves in a path between the thrust block and fixed jaw so that by disposing the thrust block in a selected recess and by rotating the thrust block into selected position in the recess, the movable jaw, is conditioned for movement toward a selected area of the fixed jaw and along a selected path with respect to such area.

An object of the invention is to provide a clamp having a frame with a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, in which the movable jaw is adjustably mounted so that it can be selectively adjusted to condition the jaw for movement relative to a selected area of the fixed jaw and along a selected one of a plurality of paths toward such area.

Another object is to provide a clamp having a 0-shaped frame with a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, in which the movable aw is mounted for movement in a thrust block provided with trunnions that are seated for rotary movement in any selected one of a plurality of recesses formed in the frame remote from the fixed jaw.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, as well as its construction, arrangement and operation will be apparent from the following description and claims in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a preferred embodiment of the invention. i'he view is broken away transversely to reduce the longitudinal dimension.

Fig. 2 is a view as seen from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top elevational View of the thrust block forming part of the invention.

The clamp comprises a frame II having an elongated central portion l2 with an offset fixed jaw is at one end and an offset [4 at the other end. Frame II in cross section is hollow and has side walls 15 and it together with end walls I! and I8. Fixed jaw 13 is recessed to form a seat IQ for engaging a workpiece that for purposes of illustration is shown as being an angle plate 20 against which sheets 2! and 22 are to be clamped. Walls l5 and E6 of offset M are provided with aligned slots 23 and 24 that are of generally arcuate form and arranged transversely with respect to a path between offset I3 and offset l4. Each of slots 23 and 24 is enlarged to include a plurality of recesses 25, 26 and 21 along the edge of the slot remote from fixed jaw [3. Walls l1 and N3 of offset 14 are provided with elongated openings 28 and 29 with opening 28 extending substantially the entire width of wall I1.

Disposed between the walls of offset M is a thrust block 30 provided with a pair of trunnions 3| that extend into slots 23 and 2d and which by selectively postioning thrust block 30 can be seated in a selected one of recesses 25, 26 or 2'! to mount thrust block 30 for rotary movement relative to frame H. Thust block 36 is retained in place by a pair of screws 32 that extend through slots 23 and are threaded into trunnions 3|. Washers 33 are disposed between the heads of screws 32 and walls it and i6.

Thrust block so is provided with a threaded bore 34 through which is screwed a threaded shaft 35 extending externally from olfset it through openings 28 and 29. At the end of shaft 35 remote from fixed jaw I3 is mounted a handle 36 by which an operator can rotate shaft 35. The end of shaft 35 adjacent fixed jaw 13 is provided with a stud 3'! upon which is mounted a movable jaw 38 having a work-engaging edge 39 for forcing sheet 2| and 22 against angle plate 20. Stud 3'! is rotatable within jaw 38 so that in operation shaft 35 rotates without causing rotation of jaw 38.

The clamp is assembled by inserting thrust block 30 through opening 28 in wall l1 and positioning trunnions 3! in slots 23 and 24. Screws 32 and washers 33 are assembled to retain thrust block 30 in position. Shaft 35 is screwed through.

thrust block 30 and jaw 38 is mounted on stud 31.

The clamp is conditioned for a clamping operation by turning handle 36 to screw shaft 35 in thrust block 30 and withdraw movable jaw 38 from fixed jaw l 3. The clamp is then manipulated to bring fixed jaw 13 into engagement with a piece of work. If the work has a relatively thin edge as in the case of angle plate 20, fixed jaw is is positioned so that seat 19' engages the work. Handle 3t and shaft 35 are manipmated to move trunnions 3| within slots 23 to position trunnions 3! in a selected one of recesses 25, 26 or 21 and thrust block 36 is then rotated so that shaft 35 and movable jaw 38 are directed toward the desired area of fixed jaw 13. Handle 36 is rotated to screw shaft 35 and advance movable jaw 33 toward fixed jaw 53 and into engagement with sheet 22 that is to be clamped. Further rotation of handle 36 causes movable jaw 36 to force sheets 2| and 22 into desired position against angle member 2% and to clamp sheets 2| and 22 in such position. The thrust of movable Y jaw 38 against the pieces of work reacts through thrust block 30 to lock trunnions 3| against slipping in the selected one of recesses 25, 26 or 21.

The particular construction by which thrust block 30 supports shaft 35 and movable jaw 38 with respect to offset 14 of frame H is novel and provides for novel adjustment of the movable jaw 38 for clamping action relative to fixed jaw l3. By rotating thrust block 30 with respect to frame ll into selected position, movable jaw 38 is conditioned for movement toward a selected area of fixed jaw [3. By adjusting thrust block 30 to dispose trunnions 31 in a selected one of recesses 25, 25 or 21', movable jaw 32 is conditioned for movement toward such selected area of fixed jaw [3 along a selected path. Thus a combination of two inter-related adjustments of the movable jaw is effected.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes can be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof as set-forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp comprising a frame, said frame having a fixed jaw, a movable jaw movable along a path toward said fixed jaw, said fixed jaw and movable jaw being in opposed clamping relation for clamping a workpiece therebetween, said frame having a portion for mounting said movable jaw, said portion being formed with an elongated slot extending transversely of a path between said portion and said fixed jaw, a thrust block disposed adjacent the slot and having a trunnion element extending into the slot, said movable jaw being screwed through said thrust block so that said movable jaw can be adjusted by moving said trunnion element in said slot to direct said movable jaw toward a selected area of said fixed jaw from a selected one of a plurality of positions and screwed to move said movable jaw along the path toward the selected area.

2. A clamp comprising, an elongated C-shaped frame the extremities of which form a pair of opposed ofisets, one of said offsets forming a fixed jaw, said jaw being recessed to provide a seat for engaging a piece of work, the other of said offsets being formed with an elongated slot extending transversely of a path between said offsets, said slot being enlarged to include a plurality of recesses along the edge of the slot remote from said fixed jaw, a thrust block disposed adjacent the slot and having a trunnion extending into the slot to mount the thrust block for rotary movement relative to said frame, said trunnion being adjustable within the slot to dispose the trunnion in a selected one of the recesses, and a shaft screwed through said thrust block and having an extremity forming a movable jaw and directive toward said fixed jaw, said fixed jaw and movable jaw being in opposed clamping relation for clamping a workpiece therebetween.

GEORGE JOS. JESSEN. WILLIAM C. KENWORTHY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 530,801 Sears Dec. 11, 1894 1,117,662 Graham Nov. 1'7, 1914 2,392,059 ONeil Jan. 1, 1946 2,441,020 Hansen et al May 4, 1948 2,463,263 Gordon Mar. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 136,209 Germany Nov. 17, 1902 367,841 France Sept. 18, 1206 

